Meeting Opening: President Kathy Myers called the meeting to order. She announced the audio booth volunteers today are Mark, Pennell, Bill Nome and Adam Alderson. Todd Kamenesh as the meeting’s photographer. Our patriotic song was “The Star Spangled Banner.” President Kathy led us in the Pledge of Allegiance. Roberta O’Keefe provided the invocation, substituting for Amanda Senn. David Dix then played “R-O-T-A-R-Y.”
Guests and Visiting Rotarians: District Governor Larry Lohman introduced incoming District Governor David Jones from the North Hampton/Cuyahoga Valley Rotary Club. President Elect David Myers introduced his “power squad” of wife Emily and daughters Allison, Evelyn and Josephine. Matt Carter introduced his daughter Mallory.
Announcements: President Kathy thanked Amanda Senn for organizing the Rotary Happy Hour at the Battleground last week.
Anita Herington thanked the milkweed planters: Amanda Senn, Doug & Karen Fuller, David Dix, Sue Whiting, Randy Smith, John Ryan, Tom Hatch, Sandra Reid and two colleagues from Davey Tree with their children, Beth Khan and members of Girl Scout Troop 90580, and her husband Leigh. She also thanked Jennifer White, education program coordinator for the Portage Park District, for her assistance and coordination of the planting at the Butterfly Trail and Dix Park.
Tom Hatch brought copies of One Hundred One Years of Rotary in Kent, Ohio books for new members and members who had not gotten one before.
District Governor Larry Lohman announced the Rotary District Awards event being held July 6 at the Cuyahoga Falls Pavilion & Amphitheater. Sign up if you are planning to attend.
Carol Crimi, President of the Kent Rotary Foundation, presented a check for $500 to Bill Childers for United Way. Ken Wertz was posthumously awarded the Foundation Rotarian of the Year and his son asked that the award be given in his father’s memory to United Way of Portage County.
Bill Childers again announced the End Polio Now Guardians Game on July 13 that includes access to the Terrace Club and the game.
President Kathy announced the dues notice would be coming out soon and to see her if you wanted more details about the Aurora Rotary Club’s raffle July 5 or Hillcrest Sunrise Rotary Club’s golf outing July 28.
Program: President Kathy than reflected on her year of presidency noting frequently how grateful she was to her Board and members for such a busy, fulfilling year. Through a power point presentation, she reviewed events from her inauguration which was outgoing President Randy Smith’s only in person meeting through the many service projects completed this Rotary year. Membership responded by giving President Kathy a standing ovation.
Past President Tom Myers, at the request of President Elect Dave Myers, then inducted the new officers and Board members. Accepting their posts were:
David Myers, President
Asad Khan, President Elect
Rachel Kern, Program Chair
David McKeen, Secretary
Matt Carter, Treasurer
Amanda Senn, Membership Chair
Brad Ehrhart, Service Project Chair
Stacey Richardson, Club Outreach Chair
Roger Kramer, Club Administration Chair
Chas Madonio, Ways and Means Chair
Kathy Myers, Past President
President Dave Myers then presented Past President Kathy Myers with the Past Presidents Plaque and pin.
President Dave then talked about his plans for the year ahead and the Rotary International theme for the year Imagine Rotary. He said he was honored to be serving in this role during Jennifer Jones’s year as RI President. Jones is the first woman to hold that office since women were included in Rotary in 1989.
The theme and flag chosen by Jones are very symbolic. The colors of purple, green and white are the colors of equity and women’s suffrage. Plus purple is the color for ending polio; green is the color for protecting the environment, and white is the color of peace and conflict resolution. The seven dots on the flag represent the seven Rotary International areas of focus.
President Dave Is challenging Kent Rotarians to Imagine Rotary opening ourselves to promoting our club’s service projects and mission; to discovering new ways of fund raising to augment the annual auction to increase Kent Rotary Foundation support, and to refocus on “every Rotarian every year” donations to the Rotary International Foundation.
He ended his remarks by asking us to be the symbolic light in our community to make the world a better place.
Response was by Past President Randy Smith who said this is the first time the Rotary Club of Kent has had three members of the same immediate family serve as President and wondered if it was the first time for our District. He said he sees all the signs for an auspicious year with these officers and Board members.
Respectfully submitted by Anita Herington